Outrage as foot-binding shoes sold online in China

Foot-binding shoes, a painful and unhealthy practice that was banned long ago for the lifetime deformities caused for women, have been found on sale on online second-hand platforms, sparking outrage among netizens and experts.

Some online shops, including baby clothing stores, have been caught selling foot-binding shoes and socks, with different styles and prices ranging from a few dozen yuan to over a thousand yuan. One shop sells the so-called customized embroidered foot-binding shoes made entirely by hand at 1,580 yuan (US$245.51) a pair.

Many netizens have expressed disgust and disbelief at such sales. One netizen questioned why a child's clothing store would even sell these items. Another shared a personal story of their grandmother, who suffered from foot-binding.

Experts and cultural scholars have condemned such trading, calling for a complete ban.

Cultural scholar Zheng Jinsong, vice curator of the Southwest University Museum, said that foot-binding represents the shackles of feudal moral culture on the mental and physical torture of women.

He also expressed concern that young people might imitate the style without understanding the history and harm behind the practice.

China Women's News also weighed in, saying that these products must be prohibited and taken off the shelves immediately.

The publication further emphasized that culture must not revert or move backward, but instead, it needs to evolve and progress with innovative ideas. The sale of these products not only violates ethical and cultural values but also poses a threat to vulnerable populations, especially younger individuals who could be more prone to imitation and adopting such harmful practices in the name of fashion.

Foot-binding shoes were traditionally worn in China by women who had their feet bound. It involved wrapping young girls' feet tightly with cloth to keep them from growing naturally, resulting in extremely small feet. They were officially banned in 1912.